The city of Maugana. It takes two days to reach from the Imperial Capital, but it is the largest city adjacent to it. Of course, there are mages here, so I need to get my leg healed.
Sweating profusely, I entered the city of Maugana, where Manon was waiting for me. The subjugation was supposed to take another day, so I wondered if she had waited for me.
“Welcome back. Ah!? You’re injured! Let’s go to a mage right away.”
At Manon’s arrangement, I was guided to a skilled mage in the city, and a fracture, which should have taken three months to heal, was recovered in five minutes. Magic is really convenient, isn’t it? I wish I had received magic through a cheat.
“I’m glad the subjugation over there is also complete. Oh, and the Black Flame Dragon appeared? I apologize for our intelligence failure.”
“Well, it was quite tough, and a bone got broken.”
“That’s a funny joke. You even gave materials from the Black Flame Dragon to the villagers?”
“I’m an amateur when it comes to materials. I thought it would be good if they could use it for village reconstruction.”
After returning, I hadn’t yet spoken about the Black Flame Dragon or its materials. I wonder how Hasuhanto’s information gathering ability is so high, yet they didn’t know about the Black Flame Dragon…
“Please stay at an inn tonight. We will depart tomorrow, so please provide guards.”
We parked our carriage in the same place as the Hasuhanto Trading Company’s carriage, and Alana and I headed to the inn we were introduced to. The inn was quite luxurious, and Alana said, “If you take on jobs for Hasuhanto, you can stay in inns like this,” so it seemed like we could enjoy the night peacefully.
The knock on the door shattered our hopes of doing something… intimate together, and Alana flinched, opening the door with a disappointed look.
“Good evening. May I come in?”
Alana silently let her in and glared at me over Manon’s shoulder. I understand how she feels, but please hold back those claws.
“I have a new request for you.”
At this late hour, and with the carriage guard request not even finished, another request? It’s tough being popular.
“Is it the next request already? That’s quite fast.”
“Yes, speed is the lifeblood of business.”
“So, what kind of request is it?”
“The eradication of a Lizardman settlement by the lake.”
She casually said something astonishing. Lizardmen, if I recall, are lizard-like beings that resemble humans, are known for their group combat skills, possess intelligence, and are powerful.
“This is not a peaceful request. You mentioned eradicating a settlement, but how many are there?”
“Approximately five hundred.”
This person is foolish! Lizardmen are quite strong. Even if it’s a settlement, there will be elderly, women, and children, but there will be at least a hundred fighting men. Even the women could double the fighting force if they join.
“That’s a considerable number. What are our forces?”
“Only the White Lily Corps.”
I’ve decided to refuse. I’m not afraid of one Troll. I can handle up to two. If there were three, I’d consider a strategy. But group combat is different. If three move as if they were one, they are an incredible threat.
Lizardmen are monsters capable of group combat. I want her to open the front of her clothes and tell me what kind of calculation leads to only the White Lily Corps.
“It’s impossible. They’re too formidable an opponent. Lizardmen are not ordinary monsters. They are intelligent monsters capable of group combat. If we are to kill them, I believe we would need triple their numbers.”
“If we could do that, we would have! I know the strength of the White Lily Corps. You single-handedly defeated Orcs and Trolls in the land of Nuyoo and ensured a safe retreat. And the Black Flame Dragon. To defeat that, a considerable number of mercenaries would be necessary, and for you two to defeat it is unthinkable.”
Manon praises the White Lily Corps and gives reasons why we can fight, but my heart remains unmoved. Didn’t she know about the Black Flame Dragon? If I blindly follow what a beautiful woman says, I’ll lose my life countless times.
“Manon. Considering the enemy’s forces, there are no mercenaries who would undertake such a reckless strategy. Furthermore, this isn’t from Hasuhanto Trading Company, is it?”
“H-How did you know that…”
“Manon, you said, ‘If we could do that, we would.’ Isn’t it something Hasuhanto Trading Company could do? The reason they can’t is either another reason, or it’s not a Hasuhanto request, right?”
Manon sighs. I feel a bit guilty for sounding accusatory, but this is a bit too reckless. If I were asked if we could win if we actually did it, the answer would be dubious. If Rufina, Orietta, and Sophia’s area-of-effect magic could somehow work, we might be able to.
“…I have the money.”
“You really do? Mercenaries, even if only seven, who have mages at their disposal? This is no amount that an individual can pay.”
Manon reaches into her backpack and pulls out several leather pouches.
“This is the advance payment.”
The advance payment alone seems substantial. It’s not an amount an individual could prepare. I’ve thought of something truly unpleasant. If I say it, there’s no turning back, but I want to know the truth.
“It’s still not a Hasuhanto Trading Company request. At this price, it’s impossible for an individual to pay half. This is an amount that could hire a brigade-class force.”
Manon remains silent.
“Manon, this is just a guess, but isn’t this money the revenue from the goods you transported? It’s also strange for the head of the operations department to come with a mere mercenary. This money is embezzled revenue, isn’t it?”
Manon looks down and says nothing. I have to say one more thing.
“You set us up, including the possibility that we wouldn’t be tempted by the money. You intentionally had us transport the goods, and then, though this is my fault, you gave me the Black Sword in front of everyone. We were made to help with the embezzlement.”
“Seriously, Captain?!”
In the Empire, though not quite discrimination, illegal acts by demi-humans are treated more severely than by humans. It’s no wonder Alana is panicking.
I failed. I never expected to be set up so suddenly. I was so focused on my connection with Hasuhanto Trading Company that I didn’t realize the embezzlement. I assumed she was here to monitor me as the head of operations.
“…I’m sorry. That’s correct.”
Words I didn’t want to hear. I’m the one sighing now. If my embezzlement from Hasuhanto is discovered, I won’t be able to do mercenary work. I’m surprised by Manon’s actions, which are contrary to her appearance. Well, the White Lily Corps’ appearance is also contrary to their actions.
“What exactly is in the Lizardman settlement? What’s the reason for wanting to eradicate it?”
My final question. I need to hear the explanation from her directly.
“…Currently, where the Lizardmen are building their settlement, there used to be a village. It was a small village, but it was self-sufficient thanks to the fragments of magic stones flowing down from the upper reaches of the river. I lived there with my father.”
Then, the Lizardmen arrived, ravaged the village, and killed Manon’s father and all the villagers. Manon and her father are Elves, but the villagers were apparently humans. In other words, it’s revenge. For that, she embezzled money, and since Elves are also considered demi-humans, it’s a serious crime.
“It’s not just for revenge. The place where the Lizardmen are living is also a problem. Not only can they get magic stone fragments, but the lake is also being polluted by a Lizardman disease.”
This is the first I’ve heard that Lizardmen produce something so dangerous. The lake is partly responsible for the Imperial Capital’s water supply, so this is not good news.
“If that were the case, wouldn’t the Imperial Knight Order go out and deal with it? The Empire’s water source is something they can’t ignore.”
“I’ve said it many times! Many times… Even after becoming a部長 (Buchō – Department Head) at Hasuhanto, no one would listen to me…”
Who could silence the voice of a department head from Hasuhanto Trading Company? Though I don’t know her motive, there are people protecting the Lizardmen, and it’s likely a significant organization. On the other hand, an individual wants to eradicate the Lizardmen, reclaim the village, and stop the lake’s pollution.
This is where my allegiance is decided.
“Manon, can I take this offer back to my subordinates to discuss it?”
I couldn’t decide…
